Comment: I didn't receive your letter, but I'll write back anyway. ;) Simply the best letter ever..... is it weird that it took me back to my preteen years when I had a regular pen pal in Ohio? You have a great writing style. Thanks for the chuckles and inspiration. I only have one (my first) fountain pen, so be prepared for all black ink. I'm afraid I probably bored my partner to tears with my letter. Now I have yours to live up to!

Comment: Hi there, you sure went above and beyond the requirements of this swap, thank you! I have not tried any of these inks in the past so that's a good bonus. I'm looking forward to a chance to use them! My boyfriend, who rarely comments on my swaps, said he was confused and enraged by the stamp that said, "Let me know if you don't receive this." I told him it was a joke. The swap did call for the items to be sent in a box, but it seems silly to rate down for it since they arrived safely in a bubble mailer. :D Have a good evening!

Comment: Thank you very much for your colorful letter. I enjoyed reading it :-)

Comment: Hello good sir! What a fantastic and most enjoyable letter! I just loved reading every page and seeing all the different pens and colours!! THANK YOU for the Parallel inks!!! I only have black and can't wait to use these colours!! And the photos and the postcards!!! (I challenge you on the coffee btw ;) I will definitely write you back, as i have so many questions!!

Comment: Thank you for the letter. Love the bookmark, too!

Comment: I'm a putz. But I'm going postal Monday. It's in my bag just waiting to hit the mailbox! UPDATE 4/24/2015: Great letter. Thanks!

Comment: Sorry for the massive delay in rating :-/ Thank you for the letter! It arrived ages ago and I loved reading it. :)

Comment: Yay! Surprise in my mailbox this morning! All the good letters make you wanna grab a pen and start a reply.

Comment: Thanks for the letter and the great stamps.

Comment: Thanks Rick - Got it yesterday.. Sending a response soon.

 

Comment: Hilarious swap - well done.

Comment: Excellent Swap. Thanks for playing!

Comment: This was indeed an extra-special package, and not just because of the extra-special gifts, but also because of the vastly entertaining tales of your heroic deeds concerning insurance weenies and evil bankers. You, sir, are destined to become an urban legend. Who sends great mail.

Comment: Great letter! It's nice to find someone with parallel interests and experiences, and I'll be writing back soon - hopefully over the holiday weekend!

 

Comment: Big newses. Good luck with resurrecting yourself with the state!

Comment: Great letter, Rick! I was so glad to hear from you—and I'll be writing back soon...

Comment: Lovely letter. Bummer news. Will write back soon.

Comment: Your drunken ramblings cracked me up, almost as much as your sober ramblings do. Glad to hear they didn't have to handcuff you in the hospital this time.

Comment: Good mail day yesterday. I will send a picture!

Comment: OH! MY! GOODNESS! Thank you very much for your amazing letter! You have been through a lot, what an adventure or misadventure! Will be writing back soon! Happy New Year!

Comment: Thank you so much for your great letter! LOVE all the extra goodies as well!!! Will be writing back soon!!!

Comment: You sent, like, 4 days early! Don't sweat waiting until the latter part of the month. Thanks for the letter and the great package! I think my tortoiseshell Mina is ready for a fill, and that's the perfect pen to try the new Irosh horse apples sample. Thanks!

Comment: Most excellent fantastic package along with your usually high quality letter. And very good timing as well! THANKS!

Comment: Read your letter with great delight a good week or two ago. Meant to rate you immediately so you'd know how long it took but I have clearly failed in this task and did not think to make a note of its arrival date in any other of a hundred possible ways, unfortunately. I am wiser than my actions always, except, evidently, for this time. You know, the dogcentricity of many of your anecdotes pleases me greatly, for, having been born and raised a cat person, I discovered 7 years ago that my true self is both dog and cat person, and a person needn't choose. Anyway, so your sniffer dog story had me laughing the out-loud way, and the tale of Mr Jobsworth (demanding the fee) and the animal shelter brought up many intricately linked and complicatedly contradictory feelings in me, and these ones I wish to express in letter form, and so I shall. So, thank you for your letter and paper trinketry! That was a Good Mail Day, and it was the only one I got! :D

Comment: Look for a reply soon. Thanks for the extra.

 

Comment: Thanks for your intro letter I am going to write you back this week.

Comment: Very extra special thank you so much.

Comment: Rick, you and I know perfectly well that that IS in fact a man in that dress. :D Thank you so much for the crazy postcard. It's one of my favorites :D Thank you so much!

Comment: Thank you for your letter. It was great hearing from you again. I will write back soon.

Comment: THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for the awesome "cup" and K-Cups. I belong to costco too and have been wanting to try the Kirkland ones...

Comment: Thanks so much! I'm hoping to visit the Lake Tahoe area sometime in the coming year or so. :)

Comment: Thank you for the lovely letter and the picture

Comment: Hi! Thanks for the lovely pc and making me laugh! Not sure what you were thinking about that vacation! LOL! I sure hope your youngest surgery goes well - sorry to read that part of the pc! Hugs and Happy Swapping! ;)

Comment: Wow! This was truly the positive highlight of my week, having locked my keys in my car in a sketchy neighborhood while on a home visit and had butter accidentally get stuck in my hair in the last 48 hours! Thanks so much for the inks, and the entertaining letter and photos. I have no choice but to write you back soon! Hope that T2 is doing OK, glad that T1 is enjoying the library (that's how my husband started out and look at his well-remunerated super-cool job now!), and that Elvis does not run off with a pack of sled dogs.

Comment: Thanks for an entertaining and colorful letter. I do love the name George. Hope Santa delivered on some wonderful calligraphy tools. I'll have to check out the inks ... I received a sample in a swap, otherwise I only have black and !white! for those days when I want to write on black paper. Blue Suede (which to me appears green -- interesting) and Sailor Apricot -- what a name ... were my favorites. The reaction from the book you are reading was my favorite laugh-aloud moment -- hard to explain to Precocious Daughter, who seems to be a melange of your two! The dog descriptions were also hilarious. I'd love to host an imaginary dinner party with your family and fionafish's family ... Gracias por todo!

Comment: Thank you, I have enjoyed reading your letter. Just a quick timely thought- all New Year tasks/ goals should be quantifiable. As in improve... should be more precise if we are going to know whether or not we have achieved the target. :)

 

Comment: Truly a fear inspiring fountain pen geek! What a pleasure to read your letter. Look out for a reply soon, till then, may your nibs be wet and your fingers well stained.

Comment: Great letter, I will write back soon.

Comment: Such a great letter/package yet my flu-y mind didn't twig what swap it was for - decided happily that it must be a random chatty missive. You'd think the typed letter might've tipped me off, but typewriters are so commonplace to my addled brain that sadly it did nought of the sort. (That's a rhyme if you speak right.) Anyway, I'm sorry for being late to rate, and thanks for sending such an excellent letter and papers. PS: Even less mentally 'connected' though I must now appear, I also didn't realise you were @mremptypants ! I'd laughed aloud only y'day when I'd chanced upon the name online. Good things about having a bad memory #315: you get a lot of mileage out of the same joke. Because I'm certain you *did* remember to include your Swap-bot name.

Comment: Sorry for the delay in rating. Just came back from a back to back vacation. I was pleasantly surprised with the swap stuff i got in the mail. It is my first time having a guy for a swapmate and i received really interesting stuff. I loved all the items! I see that you put a lot of thought into it, and you enjoy doing this. Welcome to swapbot and please do stick around :) Thanks much.

Comment: It looks like nyc!

Comment: So Weird!! Thanks!

Comment: Thanks very much, I too have just discovered these journals. OMGosh NOOOOOOOO not a magpie fan (boo) lol just kidding, while I don't like the Magpies, I'm not a huge football follower (I'm a crows fan).

Comment: Thank you so much for your lovely letter and all the extras! Don't worry, your seals are all correct and don't say anything embarassing :D

Comment: Thank You

Comment: Rick - loved the selection of stuff that you sent!

Comment: Thanks for the goodies :)

Comment: Well, my goodness, that was something. You trying to win a creative writing contest or something? Maybe write for "Movie of the Week?" ;)

 

Comment: Hi Rick.. Yes what you sent was the right thing... very thoughtful.. I loved it...Lesa

Comment: Yay! Happy mail! All the stuff was great & I especially loved the one day metro pass... Pretty cool stuff my friend. Thank you much!!

Comment: Thank you for the beautiful lake card! Great view!!

Comment: thanks for all of the stuff! I think you're only the second male swap partner I've had! crazy. thanks again :)

Comment: Thank you so much for your wonderful letter (maaate) and your evocative words about fountain pens, ink, typewriters..... the world I've so loved since I was about 6 years old or so. I've almost always owned a manual typewriter or four, and occasionally an electric. I'm really bad at sending out snail mail these days (was once so good) but shall endeavour to write back to yours. (Cross your fingers and I'll cross my toes!) Thanks again.

Comment: Funny postcard! Sorry you are having a rough time. Hope things improve!

Comment: Thanks for all of the fun goodies!

Comment: wow! thanks for the extras and the story behind them

Comment: What a fabulous letter—look for a typewritten reply from me! =smile=

Comment: Thank you

Comment: Very cool. Very weird. (Also very scary - the 0.4% bread content, horrifying to someone with a wheat/gluten allergy.) Love the PR Sherwood Green ink, very brave to use on a postcard. I have that ink, your postcard reminds me that I need to load it in a pen. Always a pleasure to receive a postcard from you!

Comment: I. Totally. Forgot. You. Sent. This. For. The. Swap. I am the lamest partner ever!!! It was a super package. I laughed and laughed. I have Ricksmas PR Blue Suede loaded up in my new/old Sheaffer Intrigue Seal. THANKS!

Comment: Thank you so much for the great letter. I loved the different colors of pens you used.

Comment: I thoroughly enjoyed reading your letter! We've got loads in common and as soon as I get a minute I'll be replying!

Comment: I actually really like this bizarre postcard, and thanks so much for the awesome compliments on my blog. You made my day! From one fountain pen nerd to another, though, I'm curious about what ink you used - was it an iron gall ink?

Comment: Hello there thanks for the really sweet fun amazing cool good great letter, I had so much fun reading about your animals. And the photos of your dogs where super cute big time and I like the Angry Bird band-aid your a very sweet kind nice caring person thanks for the letter.

Comment: Thank you for the vintage pc. It reminds me of Sweden. It was nice of your mom to share with you , and then to me. Have a nice day.

Comment: thank you for the card and note.

Comment: Thank you for a very awesome postcard and stamp,Rick. I love it. Hope you come to Thailand soon.I'll try to go to USA one day in my life too. Have a nice day!

Comment: Wow, that PC wins for creepy, you're right. I love it, thanks so much for sending it and making me laugh with your note on it!

Comment: We have had an extremely mild winter here in PA this year also. Thank you for the beautiful card and lovely note.

Comment: Thank you for a lovely card, that would be amazing to see all the time. I doubt a view like that would ever get old.

Comment: Very funny, and YES a nikon guy. www.d2photo.com - Photographer for Baseball america during the season

Comment: Received your delightful letter today. Really liked the different inks you use. Love the extra handmade papers too. Looking forward to writting to you soon.

Comment: Thank you so much for the Reno postcard. The colors and mo9untains look beautiful. Thanks again, it is a great addition to my collection.

Comment: I loved the bizarre PC!!! Haha. And my husband laughed so hard when he said it. WTF is exactly right. Cheers to 2012 - may it treat you well!

Comment: I adore this postcard so much!! It's totally my personality!

Comment: Thanks for the fun slam! I'll try to move it along as soon as I fill it in.

Comment: Thank you, Rick, for your nice note! I love postcards and paper, and I DO get particular about my pens. Though I've never tried fountain pens and ink. The nostalgia of it is very appealing though. I do however have an embossing seal and like wax seals, too. So classy! Haha... :)

Comment: What a gorgeous beach in Plymouth. Hard to believe it ever gets warm enough there to wear a bathing suit ;) Also can't believe YOU got snow already! I loved your pilgrim car joke - ha ha - such a bad joke - I love it! Thanks for a really great PC!!!

 

Comment: Great letter. Thanks! Working on reply.

Comment: Thank You

 

 

Comment: Thank you so much for you letter. I was so happy to hear from you. As soon as I get a chance I will get a letter in the post for you.

Comment: Lovely & many thanks!

Comment: Fabulous envelope full of fun stuff. Thank you for the resend. I love your dancing pup and the card you made is beautiful. Thank you very much for your generosity.

Comment: I found Waldo and all the stuff on the checklist - thanks. Thanks too for the polar bear stamp.

Comment: Thank you for the lovely photos.

Comment: Great shot of the lighthouse. Like the way the fence leads you into the picture. My husband was drolling over the mussels. Big seafood eater.

 

 

 

Comment: Thanks! I really enjoyed reading about you:)

Comment: interesting answers, thanks for sharing! =)

Comment: Thanks for sharing ~ Happy Swapping

 

Comment: TKS

Comment: Thanks for sharing :)

 

 

Comment: Thanks Rick, I love this real map, a mew one for my, the others I have from CA are all touristy!

 

Comment: Would you like a barf bag from China Air?

Comment: Thank you! I love the card it is fantastic! I'm gonna frame it or something!

Comment: Thank you for the beautiful card and the great stamps ! Have a nice week-end :)

Comment: Haha, that PC is horrid. I wonder if that's a real item for sale..it make an interesting couple Halloween costume...

Comment: Thanks for the postcards. There were great, even a lighthouse. Happy swapping, Linda

Comment: Thanks, i like the one liners lol x

Comment: Thank you for all the surprises.

Comment: Thee BEST letter I have gotten in a while. I can smell a friendship brewing but maybe its just my open bottle of black swan or..the craving to be opened bottle of Julius Caesar sitting on the counter could be. :) Ink on my nerd friend. I shall pop a quickie in the mail soon but do look for my longer letter :)

Comment: Hi Rick, Today your package came and I reall Love the journal. the pen and Love Burts Bee,s and the Rotary postcard. Our daughter went to Denmark as a Exchange student and the rotary helped her! Anyway Thanks ever so much!

Comment: Thanks for the lovely card -- sorry I wasn't more international (although I have lived in Germany twice and halfway up MT. Etna in Sicily once!) My freshman roommate in college was hoping I was Chinese, too -- guess I am just an all-round disappointment! (grin!) Happy swapping!

 

 

Comment: Thank you so much for the stamps! Your picture is great! It reminded me of Lake Superior's coast line - so beautiful and rugged! What's your favorite Holmes story? And What a way to honor Elvis! I love it!

 

 

Comment: LOL love ur answers u remind me of my father in law lol

Comment: You really hould put your username on email swaps. You make it harder to rate you without it.

Comment: Lime Jello and bologna!?! EEWWW!! Great answers and yes I did laugh! Thanks for sharing. :)

Comment: haaha, I loved your list. I don't knit but I crochet. Thanks for spreading the whoopie love :)

Comment: Thank you for the lovely postcard and quotes =)

Comment: Love the creativity behind the card, thanks so much :)

Comment: I loved reading through your answers! Thanks so much for sharing them!

Comment: Hi Rick & thanks so much for the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse PC - it's a beauty. I too catch up on writing PCs when the Internet or power goes out, haha. Hope your summer is going well - we had a mild earthquake here yest which was exciting. Take care ;)

Comment: your first answer made me laugh

Comment: Rick, thank you for the great card.... You offered a picture or two of the Point Arena Lighthouse.... Maybe I could send you a couple of a lighthouse I have taken.... Pat

Comment: Your pc made me laugh! Thanks :)

 

Comment: Thanks for the PC and quotes. Hope you had a wonderful vacation there.

Comment: Lovely letter - I will write back!

Comment: Thank you very much! OTL my postman must have had bizarre thoughts on seeing that card. ;w;

 

 

 

Comment: Thank you for the read!

Comment: Thanks for sharing!

Comment: Oh he does look like Snoopy doing a happy dance. What a great photo. Thank you.

Comment: this was so much fun! i enjoyed reading everyone's answers & finding out how much we had in common, or the humor someone had in answering, or the sadness we've had to bear.

Comment: Thanks for your answers! They were interesting to read :-)

Comment: Nice answers :)

Comment: Both cards were awesome. And it really does seem we have much in common. Thank you!!

Comment: Rick thank you so much for the menus and postcard . I wonder if my cousin and neighbor know of Big Dong. Both of them went to Berkeley. We have Ethical Drug and Love House ( a furniture store) I have not been to Lake Tahoe since the 90s..Kinda sad.I bet a lot has changed since then.Do they still have the glass bottom boat with the evil parrot lol ! ?

Comment: Thanks for the card, you really made me laugh, apparently you read my profile LOL is Elvis a Dane? its hard to tell from the photo, but from his weight I guess he must be. I used to have a dane, I miss her terribly, some day I will definitely get another :) Cute picture!!

Comment: I'm guessing from your love of Hawaiian music and saying that you are a dog lover that the barf bag thing is the lie. Although that is so bizarre maybe it is true! I'm a doxie lover myself. Happy swapping!